Updated | PM's cover up makes him look like an accomplice in 17 Black story - Simon Busuttil

Simon Busuttil was in court today to testify before Magistrate Franceso Depaqsuale regarding the case he and Nationalist MEP David Casa filed on 20 April, connected to the revelations by the Daphne Project regarding 17 Black.

"The Prime Minister's continued cover up for these people makes him look like an accomplice.”, Busuttil said, immediately as he left the court building, having testified before Magistrate Francesco Depasquale.

Casa, who was accompanying the former leader of the Opposition, highlighted that it was "important to get to the bottom of these allegations so as to prevent further damage being done to the country”.

He praised the Daphne Project, saying they were doing important work and had stories yet to come out that would put more pressure on the government.

The MEP also said in a Facebook post that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was willing to put the nation's reputation on the line to protect Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and Chief of Staff Keith Schembri.

17 Black, is a Dubai based company which, according to leaked documents, was a “target client” for a secret Panama company owned by Mizzi. 

It received payments of $1.6 million from two businessmen associated with the new Delimara power station, it has been revealed .

Busuttil said that the magistrate had sent for Casa and himself to testify on a court application, asking the court to order a magisterial investigation into the 17 Black allegations, following recent revelations by the Daphne Project.

If magistrate Depasquale rules that there are sufficient grounds for an investigation, the inquiry proper will be allocated to a magistrate by lot.

Labour reacts

The allegations against the prime minister are "filthly lies", the Labour Party said in a press statement, adding that Busuttil, Azzopardi, and Casa are adding onto lies which they have failed to substantiate.

"Nobody belived these Nationalist officials last year, and nobody will believe them today," the statement read, adding that the three need to shoulder their own political responsibility.